I have taught mathematics in secondary schools for more than 40 years. I have read many conflicting views about the subject in recent years. I want to share my perspective, not to win an argument, but to clarify math's core value.

Many people turn away from math because they studied it as an obligation. They learned it to pass exams, to get it over with, not to understand it. When they miss the essence, they lose interest and then dismiss the subject as a whole. Yet math is not called a foundational science by accident. It also appears at every level of education for a reason.

Handwritten math calculations on a black board. Illustration photo by Pexels

From my experience, math is not just numbers or formulas. When you feel lost at the start of a task, math shows you how to begin. It teaches you how to approach a vague problem, much like simplifying an expression to see its core. It trains you to break things down and then put them back together, as in solving a geometry problem.

What many students see as dry content, like definitions, theorems, and axioms, are in fact thinking tools. Without tools, work becomes inefficient, just as cooking without proper utensils makes it hard to prepare a decent meal.

Students fear math, in my view, not because it is too difficult. It is because math demands patience. The subject builds step by step. If you miss one part, the next becomes harder. When the foundation is weak, the sense that math is "hard" follows naturally.

I also disagree with the claim that math is useless, that topics like integrals, derivatives, or polynomials serve no purpose. By that logic, one could dismiss many other subjects as well. The issue is not whether you apply each formula directly. Math trains you to think with evidence. It pushes you to rely on given data and clear reasoning instead of intuition alone. A person who thinks this way will look for solutions in real life, rather than avoid problems.

Today there is a clear paradox. Many people say math is difficult and detached from reality. The high number of strong scores suggests the problem may lie elsewhere. This suggests the problem does not lie only in the subject itself, but also in how people teach, learn, and assess it.

At the system level, the education sector needs to review how it tests and evaluates students. It should avoid chasing results for their own sake. When scores become the main goal, teaching and learning drift away from substance. The curriculum and exams also need revision so students can understand and apply knowledge, not just practice test-taking.

Each side has its role. Parents and students should see math clearly and study it seriously instead of chasing scores. If it does not suit them, they can choose another path rather than force it and grow frustrated. Teachers should master the curriculum and guide students in thinking and learning methods. Policymakers should listen to those who teach in classrooms and adjust in time.

To me, math has never been just numbers. It is a tool for thinking and solving problems with clarity and discipline. Learned the right way, that value does not end in the classroom.